Author. 




Title. 



Class LBJ7-U. 
Book /Mil.. 



Imprint 



JJti — iJOSUV-l GPO 



North Carolina 

Teachers' Reading Circle 

1909—1910 



Oue^ions 



Hamilton's The Recitation 



ISSUED BY THE 

State Department of Education 
raleigh, n. c. 



<u NORTH CAROLINA 



TEACHERS' READING CIRCLE 



1909-1910 



PREPARED BY 

J. A. BIVINS 

SUPERVISOR OF TEACHER TRAINING. STATE DEPARTMENT 
OF EDUCATION, RALEIGH. N. C. 






D. OF 0. 

FEB 5 1910 



NORTH CAROLINA 

TEACHERS' READING CIRCLE 

1909-1910. 



I. The Recitation. Hamilton. 

J. B. Lippincott Company $1.00 

II. Teaching a District School. Dinsmore. 

American Book Compaiiy 1.00 

III. McMurry's Special Method in Read- 

ing for the Grades. 

The Macmillan Company 1.00 

IV. irving's Sketch Book; Tennyson's 

Idyls of the King. Any edition. 
Each 25 

V. Bulletins: (I) How to Teach Read- 
ing; (VIII) Outline Course of 
Study. 

Furnished free by State Depart- 
ment of Education. 
VI. North Carolina Education (one year, 

in clubs of 10 or more) 50 



PURPOSE. 

Every teacher cannot attend a normal school 
or college ; but every teacher can read and study 
at home. This course is designed for those 
teachers who are willing to improve them- 
selves. There is an ever-increasing demand 
for better teachers. This course is optional, but 
the wise teacher will consider it imperative. 
The course will cover four years of reading and 
study, and will lead, in the end, to a diploma, 
which will be granted by the State Department 
of Education to all who successfully complete 
the course. This means professional advance- 
ment and better salaries. It means, above all, 
better work in a calling in which it is criminal 
not to do one's best. 

THE COURSE. 

Since the plan of the institutes this year 
placed great stress on primary methods, the 
course of reading is made to conform somewhat 
to the same plan. The teachers are expected 
to keep copies of the bulletins on How to Teach 
Reading and the Outline Course of Study on 
their desks and make constant use of them. 
Directions are given in these bulletins about 
how to teach phonetics, reading, language. 

4 



writing, drawing, number and- home geography. 
These suggestions and directions should be put 
into practice. McMum/s Method in Reading 
ought to be of especial value in helping teachers 
make use of the story in oral and written lan- 
guage work. 

Teaching a District School, by Dinsmore, is 
full of practical suggestions for the rural 
teacher. It covers a wide range of topics, and 
hence cannot treat any of them exhaustively. 
But a hint often proves sufficient. Our teachers 
need especially to study the problem of how to 
classify their pupils and economize time in their 
daily programs. Some valuable suggestions are 
given on this topic. 

Irving's Sketch Boole and Tennyson's Idyls of 
the King are placed in the course for their gen- 
eral culture value. Many of our rural teachers 
have never read any of the great masterpieces 
of English. If time cannot be found during the 
school term for reading these they may be read 
during the summer. The Idyls of the King will 
be studied exhaustively in the institutes next 
summer. 

The principal book in the course, and the one 
that should call forth the most serious study, is 
Hamilton's The Recitation. The school succeeds 



or fails in proportion as the recitation is a suc- 
cess or a failure. What is a good recitation? 
What is tcacMng? Many teachers go through 
the farce of hearing lessons and never realize 
that they are not teaching. This book, properly 
studied, will solve many a vital problem. 

HOW TO READ THE BOOKS. 

There will be furnished with each copy of 
Hamilton's The Recitation, and Dinsmore's Dis- 
trict Bcliool a pamphlet of questions which will 
prove very stimulating and helpful. Besides 
this, special articles will be published in North 
Carolina Education every mouth giving synopses 
of the books, outlines for study and interesting 
suggestions. The Recitation should be studied 
carefully ; it should be read not less than twice. 
The same can be said of McMurry's book on 
Reading. Wherever a good suggestion is found 
it should be put into practice in the schoolroom. 
Let it be remembered that the course is de- 
signed to lead to better teaching. 

Prof. E. C. Brooks is leading the study of 
Hamilton's The Recitation with the Durham 
County teachers, and he has kindly consented to 
publish his outlines in North Carolina Educa- 
tion. He is planning to give eight months to 
the study. Most of our teachers will have to 



complete it in three or four months, unless they 

own a copy of the book and can follow the 

outlines in their home study. If they do not 

own a copy individually they will have to make 

the most out of a more rapid reading, using 

the printed questions accompanying the book. 

In studying the essentials of a good recitation 

the teacher should make constant reference to 

her own classes, asking herself honestly if she 

is doing real teaching or only attempting to hear 

lessons. 

COST OF COURSE. 

While it is better for each teacher to own all 
the books of the course, yet, for purposes of 
economy, a plan is hereby proposed by which 
the cost will be reduced to a minimum : Let 
each teacher pay an enrollment fee of $1 to 
the County Superintendent. The books will then 
be ordered by the County Superintendent and 
kept in a library in his ofBce. He will issue 
the books to the teachers, one at a time, as 
they are called for. The exchange of books 
can best be effected at the meetings of the County 
Teachers' Association. 

North Carolina Education is not included in 
this arrangement, but must be subscribed for 
by each teacher. 



CERTIFICATES. 

At the end of this pamphlet will be found 
a perforated sheet containing two blank certifi 
cates, one for enrollment, the other showing; 
that the course for the year has been satis 
factorily completed. When the enrollment blank 
is filled out it should remain in the pamphle: 
until the end of the term ; then, when the 
County Superintendent has satisfied himself that 
the teacher has satisfactorily completed the 
course, he will fill out the second blank and 
give it to the teacher. When a teacher has ob- 
tained four of these blanks — one for each year — 
a diploma will be issued to that teacher by the 
State Department of Education. 

WRITTEN TESTS. 

At the close of the year each teacher taking 
the course will be required to stand a written 
test. The test will be prepared by the Super- 
visor of Teacher Training and forwarded to the 
County Superintendents. The test will not be 
made difficult, but will be designed to show 
whether or not the teacher has been doing honest 
work. The reading course will be made the 
basis hereafter of all examinations in Theory 
8 



and Practice of Teaching. A teacher who has 
passed the course and received a certificate will 
naturally be excused from that part of the ex- 
amination. No five-year certificates will be re- 
newed until the holders of such certificates have 
taken the reading course and passed the re- 
quired test. Furthermore, if a teacher hold- 
ing a yearly certificate is pursuing the course 
the Superintendent will have some basis for 
renewing the certificate of that teacher. Other- 
wise, he will have no good reason for doing so. 
The State Department of Education is pre- 
paring to furnish uniform questions for the 
regular yearly examination of teachers. In 
these examinations much emphasis will be placed 
upon the professional side of the teacher's 
knowledge. It will pay, therefore, to become 
a diligent member of the North Carolina Teach- 
t ers' Reading Circle. 

I TEACHERS' ASSOCIATIONS. 

i 

I A portion of every meeting of the County 

I Teachers' Association will be devoted to the 

j reading course. Programs and outlines will ap- 

I pear in North Carolina Education each month 

showing how this may be done to advantage. 

The first program will appear in the October 
• 9 



number. Hamilton's The Recitation will be the 
basis for most of the association work. 

Subscriptions to North Carolina Education 
may be sent through your County Superintendent 
or remitted direct to the publisher at Raleigh, 
N. C. The price to Reading Circle Clubs of less 
than 10 is 60 cents a year; to clubs of 10 or 
more, 50 cents. 

TO THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT. 

Get the course adopted by your teachers at 
the earliest possible moment. Impress upon 
them the vital, the absolute necessity of their 
taking this work if they hope to remain much 
longer on your list of teachers. This will be 
a test by which you can determine the earnest, 
faithful ones among them. 

The books can be obtained from the Stone & 
Barringer Company, Charlotte, N. C, or Alfred 
Williams & Co., Raleigh, N. C. If the books 
are ordered in bulk a discount of 10 per cent 
will be allowed by the dealers. 



10 



I- 
z 

UJ 

_J 
_l 

o 
a: 

z 
u 

Ll 

o 

UJ 

H 
< 

u 

Ll 

I- 

a: 

LiJ 

u 



0) 






CD 

o 

c« 
>\ 
CD 



3 
O 



-4 
O 

o 
o 

In 
o 

-J 
o 
ct 
"^ 
o 

£ 

o 



CD ^ 
CD 



<D 



CC 






C 
3 
O 

O 



CO 



CD 



"C 
o 

CO 

CD 

I, 

a 

CO 

o 



CD 

-c: 






C« 
CD 

!-, 

73 
C 
CTS 

CD 

Is, 
3 






o 

i^ 
ctS 
CD 
>^ 



<D 
-C 
O 

cti 
[2 



O 



CT3 









c 


t3 




•4>A 








CB CC 




S 
-» 








^ 


- 




s 








cr 


S2 




ri 










CD 




1 
a, 








^ 


O 




S 












SQ 










h- 




S> 








cr 






•** 








ct: 


ctS 




g 


. 






-C 


.^ 




S 


1- 






ct: 


o 




§ 


•MiM 






C 


1^ 






Q 






c 


cti 






LU 








■s 






q: 






C 


o 






u 






c 








Lj. 






^ 


t;; 









d 

0) 




nty, 
k of 






LiJ 


d) 




c 


o 
5 






h- 


O 




C 






< 


0) 






(D 
-C 


CB 




U 








t3 


CD 












<D 


•— ^ 




Ll 








_QJ 


O 

o 




*— M 








"q. 


-c 




h- 








S 


o 

CO 




q: 




c^ 




o 
o 


^ 




LU 




f^ 




•S 


^ 




u 








-c: 

CD 
O 

(D 


o 

CD 












CD 


O 










o 


^ O 


■S 


Q 



QUESTIONS 



HAMILTON'S THE RECITATION 



ISSUED BY THE ' 
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
RALEIGH, N. C. 



HOW TO USE THIS PAMPHLET. 



The author of The Recitation, Dr. Hamilton, 
at the request of Superintendent J. Y. Joyner, 
very kindly consented to prepare the following 
list of questions. To him are due the thanks 
not only of the State Department of Education, 
but also of every teacher in North Carolina 
for the valuable aid thus given. 

The Recitation should be read carefully, chap- 
ter by chapter. After reading a chapter the 
teacher should use the questions applying to the 
portion read and work faithfully until every 
one is answered. The teacher should endeavor 
constantly to ascertain, through experience in 
the schoolroom, whether or not vital teaching is 
being done in accordance with the principles 
laid down in The Recitation. 

J. A. BiviNS, 
Supervisor of Teacher Training. 



14 



THE RECITATION. 



PART I. 



CHAPTER I. 

General View of the Recitation. 

Define the recitatiou. Give the literal mean- 
ing of the term ; the general meaning. What 
is the teacher's part in the recitation? What 
are the means through which he works? What 
is the pupil's part? Through what means may 
he expect to attain the end? How does the 
recitation help to determine the child's habits 
of study? Explain how careless thinking leads 
to careless habits of thought. Name some char- 
acteristics of a good recitation. What should 
determine the length of a recitation? What is 
meant by "a brisk mental movement in a recita- 
tion"? Name some indictments against "the 
average recitation." Name three results that 
come from aimless recitations. Explain the dif- 
ference between teaching and examining. 

CHAPTER II. 

The Purpose of the Recitation. 

Name some of the vital aims of a recitation. 
How does aim save time? Show how the end 
determines the means. How is effort unified 
by aim? What does White give as tlie aims 
of the recitation? Why do you think he uses 
the term in an etymological sense? Compare 
15 



the aims enumerated by Putnam with those 
designated by Sabiu. Who is Dr. Ilarris? Why 
do you consider Dr. Harris qualified to speali 
authoritatively on this subject? What aims do 
you keep in view generally? 

CHAPTER III. 

Essentials of the Recitation. 

Show that ill I crest is an essential feature of 
a recitation. What is attention? How does it 
differ from interest? Name two kinds of inter- 
est. Explain this statement : "Truth is like a 
diamond." Do you think it is? Why? Il- 
lustrate three ways in which a child may be 
led to acquire an interest in a subject. What 
is presentation? Why is attention essential to 
successful presentation? What conditions deter- 
mine the degree of attention you may expect 
from a child? When is it difficult to secure 
the attention of a child? Why? Classify teach- 
ers with regard to their ability to get the at- 
tention of a class. Why will "skillful presenta- 
tion" aid in securing attention? "Skillful man- 
agement?" How may the attention be sus- 
tained? What should the teacher do when the 
attention of a pupil is wandering? What should 
he do when it is lost? 

CHAPTER IV. 
Preparation for the Recitation; or, The Art 

of Study. 
Is it true that nothing, save thinking, edu- 
cates? Is truth really a unity? Wha't is a 
16 



science? Explain: "We learn with what we 
have." Name the objective conditions of study. 
The subjective conditions. Why cannot an 
empty mind acquire facts? What is discipline? 
How does special discipline differ from general 
discipline? What does Emerson say of char- 
acter? Define the act of study. What is ap- 
prehension? Comprehension? Application? Why 
is it necessary to know what a fact means, as 
well as to laiow what it is? How is character 
fed by knowing what a fact teaches? What 
four words sum up Jacotot's method? Explain 
each. Why is Terification valuable? Classify 
the unprepared. Explain each class. How were 
Tennyson, Carlyle and Dickens annoyed in their 
work? How does oral instruction help to train 
pupils to study? Why is a teaching recitation 
better than an examining recitation in training 
pupils to study? Why is a listless pupil often 
a poor student? How may a proper assignment 
of a lesson aid in its preparation? 



17 



PART II. 

CHAPTER I. 

Parts of the Recitation. . 

Name the four parts of a recitation. Discuss 
the testing part. What results come from if? 
Discuss the teaching part. Name its results. 
What is skill? What is the basis of skill? Dis- 
cuss the maxim, "Learn to do by doing." Give 
the view of McLellau ; of Sch?effer ; of White. 
What does Roark say is of first importance in 
all drill? What is the aim in the assignment 
of a lesson? When should it be made? Why? 

CHAPTER II. 

PreparaLJon, the First Formal Step. 

How do genei'al notions differ from particular 
notions? What is generalization? What is sense- 
perception? Name the five formal steps. Ex- 
plain in a general way what is the function of 
each. Discuss "immediate and timely" prepara- 
tion. How does the mind ac<iuire the unknown 
with and through the known? What is the 
purpose of calling up related facts formerly 
learned as a preparation for the new facts to 
be learned? 

CHAPTER III. 

Presentation, the Second Formal Step. 

What is the pui'pose of presentation? What 
is external presentation? What is the inner 
18 



activity? Whicli of these may be regarded as 
the cause of the other? Discuss clearness. Cau 
you give an origiual reason why it is necessary? 
What may we expect from hazy presentation? 
What conditions are essential to clearness? 
What is strength in presentation? Give its 
three elements. How often must a presentation 
be repeated? Why should all instruction be 
logical? What is the basis of logical presenta- 
tion? What is the value of aim and plan in 
presentation? What is the first effort of in- 
struction? What is the basis of sustained men- 
tal action? The evidence of it? How is mental 
action to be guided and controlled? 

CHAPTER IV. 

Comparison, the Third Formal Step. 

Why is the third formal step called com- 
parison? Discuss the psychological aspect of 
comparison. Name the three stages in the think- 
ing process. Explain the action of each. Show 
that comparison is present in each of them. 
What does Sir William Hamilton say of com- 
parison? Explain the difference between judg- 
ment and comparison. What is meant by fixed 
standards of comparison? Why are they neces- 
sary? Name some that you think the child 
should know and be able to use. Show that the 
knowledge of fixed standards and the ability 
to use them lays the foundation for accuracy 
and facility. What is association? How does 
it differ from comparison? What is the general 
law of association? Define and illustrate the- 
19 



law of similarity ; the law of contract ; the law 
of contiguity ; the law of correlation. How may 
the teacher act through each of these laws? 
How does comparison help the mind to know? 
How does association help the mind to recall 
its esperiences? 

CHAPTER V. 

Generalization, the Fourth Formal Step. 

Define generalization. Name some generaliza- 
tions that are fundamental in school work. 
Should definition precede or follow examination? 
Why? What does Hamilton Mabie say about 
culture? Why is generalization not the end of 
instruction? Why must generalization come af- 
ter presentation and comparison? What criti- 
cism would you make of the teacher who be- 
gins the work in geography or grammar with 
definitions? Why should ideas precede words? 
Why should oral instruction precede text-book 
study? Why should percepts precede concepts 
in the work of instruction? Why is the ability 
to repeat a definiticni not always evidence of a 
knowledge of it? 

CHAPTER VI. 

Application, the Fifth Formal Step. 

What do you mean by the term application? 
What does McMurry say about it? Explain 
the difference between the doctrinaire and the 
man of affairs. How does applying knowledge 
help to build character? What is the effect of 
having the child use what he knows and practice 
20 



what he has learned? Why are concrete il- 
lustrations es&ential in the teacher's work? 
Show that application is the goal of all instruc- 
tion. What is practical instruction? What is 
the value of utility as compared with culture? 
Discuss spirit as the vital element in education. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Thinking in the Recitation. 

Why is thinking the most vital problem in 
school work? Why do percepts precede reflec- 
tion? What is the effect of offering a child 
subject-matter so easy of comprehension that 
it requires scarcely no effort on his part? What 
is the effect of making the instruction too dif- 
ficult for him to comprehend? Show that the 
child's work that gives the largest return is 
pitched upon the highest plane of his best effort. 
Write a criticism on teaching that class for the 
contents of the child's mind rather than the 
exercise of it. Why is instruction better than 
examination in helping the child to think? What 
is drill? Discuss "hearing the child recite" 
versus teaching. Which requires most thought, 
apprehension or comprehension? Why? What 
is the great instrument of instruction? Show 
the difference between questions of acquisition 
and questions of assimilation and thought. 
f Name several questions that belong to each of 
these classes. What is the value of a question 
that asks for an answer that must be thought 
out before it can be given? Define and illustrate 
mechanical teaching ; experimental teaching ; 
21 



philosophic teaching. Name four sources of 
knowledge. Which one of these sources is most 
used iu the school? Which one is most valuable 
in training the child to think? What does Burke 
say about reflection? Define thinking in your 
own terms. 



22 



^ 



PART III. 

CHAPTER I. 
General Methods in the Recitation. 

Define method. Show that acquisition and 
reflection are the two fundamental powers of the 
mind. What is analysis; synthesis? What does 
Sir William Hamilton say of analysis? What 
does Baldwin say? Which, analytic or syn- 
thetic, method prevails in teaching little chil- 
dren? Explain induction as a mode of thought. 
What makes inductive conclusions reliable? 
What is deduction as a mode of thought? Write 
three syllogisms. What determines the value of 
deductive conclusions? Show that induction 
derives principles and deduction applies them. 
Give your opinion of objective methods. What 

[ IS meant by subjective methods; by empirical 

i methods; rational methods? 

I CHAPTER II. 

Individual IVIethods in the Recitation. 

J What is the lecture method? Name some of 
j the advantages of this method, to the teacher; 
^ to the pupil. Name the disadvantages to each. 
Why is the lecture method not applicable in pub- 
) lie schools? What is the question method? 
I Name and illustrate three kinds of questions. 
' What do you think of the teaching that uses 
I only test questions? What do you think of the 
( instruction that arouses and directs the thought 

: 23 



of the child? Name some of the advantages 
of the question method, to the teacher ; to the 
pupil. Why should there be a definite purpose 
back of all questions? What are "blind ques- 
tions"? What is the Socratic method? What 
does Dr. Brumbaugh suggest? What is Plato's 
definition of opinion? State the fundamental 
characteristics of the Socratic method. Give 
the advantage of the Socratic method, to the 
teacher ; to the pupil. What is the topic method? 
Show the value of the thought phase of this 
method from the verbal phase. Give some of 
the advantages of each of these phases. Why 
is the topic method valuable in giving continuity 
of thought? What is the special language value 
of the topic method? 

CHAPTER III. 

Oral and Written Work in the Recitation. 

What advantage generally is the oral recita- 
tion from the written recitation? Under what 
conditions may a child copy a lesson and receive 
little mental return for his effort? What is 
your plan of marking written work? What is 
the value of giving the child instruction upon 
the errors he makes in his written work? What 
advantages has the plan that uses a system 
of symbols for designating errors? Show that 
written work economizes time. What does Roark 
say of the advantage of the written recita- 
tion? 



24 



CHAPTER IV. 

Place and Tactics of the Recitation. 

Why, in your judgment, should a class be 
grouped into a small space during a recitation? 
Why is it difficult to hold the attention of pupils 
widely separated in the class? What is the 
advantage of a code of signals for calling and 
dismissing pupils? Would you ask a pupil to 
rise and answer a series of questions in a recita- 
tion while others are inattentive? What is the 
advantage of stating a question to the entire 
class in a general way and then of asking some 
pupil to answer? Can you make all of the pupils 
in your class answer the question silently be- 
fore the oral answer is given? What do you 
think of the concert method? 

CHAPTER V. 
The Use of Books in a Recitation. 

What are likely to be some of the results that 
j come from the nonuse of books in the hands 
of the teacher in the elementary grades? Why 
I is the text-book plan probably better than your 
1 own improved plan? What is slavery to text- 
book formality? Would you allow the use of 
I text-books in the arithmetic class? Why? Ex- 
I plain the term eye-minded ; ear-minded. What 
j may the teacher do when a child cannot solve 
, a problem? What should she do? Show w^hat 
I is meant by the irrational method of using text 
] in geography when first put into the hands of 



the child. Explain what it is to study a lesson 
with the class. What is the value of study 
work ? 

CHAPTER VI. 
English in the Recitation. 

What general criticism is made of English 
generally in the school ? Show how heredity and 
home environment lead to defective English. Do 
our schools give enough time to the study of 
English? What forms of language work are 
of little value in the study of English? How 
does the study of form, rather than the contents, 
in language lead to defective English? Why 
is English the most difficult of all subjects to 
teach? What is the great aim in the study of 
English? Show how habit language is stronger 
than instruction. What Is the value of good 
literature in the study of English? If children 
dislike composition, who is to blame, the teacher 
or the child? What would be the results of 
the work under such conditions? How should 
the child's vocabulary be enlarged and improved? 
Does Pope's fine satire in the Dunciad apply to 
the work in your school? What is the value 
of oral language? Show how the study of a 
masterpiece of good English aids the child. 
Which is the valuable part of a law, its form 
or its contents? Why is the constructive side 
of English most valuable to the child? 



26 



RALEIGH 
M. UZZELL a CO . PRINTERS 
1909 



Sv# 



j-IBRARY OF CONGRESS 



.0 019 740 002 A 



